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 Are You Cyber Smart?
The Internet is
full of information, ideas, and entertainment but it’s also filled with
programs designed to capture your personal information. Who would want things
like your name, age or phone number? You would be surprised!
There are companies that pay for
this kind of information along with other details like the web sites you visit,
what you buy online and of course your email address. This gives companies a
chance to send you invitations to buy their products or to at least visit their
website for more information.
This practice has been around for a
long time, even the mail in your home mailbox can be filled with advertisements
and brochures inviting you to buy a product. The difference in traditional mail
and email is that email is incredibly cheap to send! This means your
personal information can be compared with products that you have bought before
and then a profile is created that targets your interests or buying history.
Bam-you got Spam! (Junk Mail)
It’s important to keep your personal
information confidential because once released-you don’t know who is looking at
it, or using it for their own purposes. What can you do? Make sure you talk to
your parents before filling out online signup forms or giving your email
address out. Remember, not everything is as free as it appears to be and your
privacy can easily be invaded or sold off to the highest bidder. Be Cyber
Smart!
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Watch That File - It’s more than a
simple Download!
Downloading programs is a natural
part of using the Internet. It’s easy, quick and often as simple as clicking a
few buttons. While simple, you can end up installing more than a screen
saver or game. 
The downloaded program can be
infected with a virus or spy ware attachment that destroys your computers files
or worse! Some programs turn your computer into a “Zombie” where it can be
controlled remotely by another machine. This means your computer will send
emails without you knowing it, or participate in an internet attack against a
particular website. You won’t even know it’s happening until your friends start
asking why you are sending them junk mail! You’ll also notice how slow
the computer becomes and hopefully discover the problem before too much damage
is done. Unfortunately, many people become infected with a virus and spread it
to others before they are aware it exists. This is why computer viruses spread
so quickly!
To protect yourself you should
have an anti virus program installed on your computer, and it should have the
most recent updates from the manufacturer. This one step can make a huge
difference in protecting your computer and those you share files with.
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Can you “Chat Safe”?
Chatting online is one
of the things that make Internet usage fun and entertaining. It’s great to talk
to your friends and family whether they are nearby or around the world. The
problem is that not all conversations are private or safe.
 For
example, if you are chatting with friends online in a public chat room your
conversation is open for anyone to read. Even if you know some of the people
present, the rest of the chatters could be the type of people you would NOT
want to know!
To play it safe, never discuss
personal information about yourself, not your age, address, school, or even
your name.
Be cautious of anyone you don’t know
personally-as there are dangerous people who can easily pretend to be your age
or your friend. There have been cases where young teens innocently talked to
people online for weeks or months before discovering a person’s true identity.
Unfortunately they found out too late and became victims of crime or attempted
abductions as a result.
The best approach is to limit
your chat time with people you personally know and never talk about yourself or
your surroundings while online. This will help keep your Chat Safe!
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Firewall - Without it you’re
exposed!
A firewall is a
hardware or software device that has one purpose. To block unwanted connections
to your computer while on the Internet. The chances of someone connecting to
your computer-without your permission-is much easier now that high speed access
is more common.
The process works like this. A
hacker will “scan your ports” for open access. Port Scanning is simple a way to
see how many connection points are enabled on your computer.
There are over 65,000 ports in one Internet Connection! With only one port
open, you computer can be taken over by a hacker for whatever purpose they
desire. They can also read files on your computer, including important things
like your parent’s banking information or passwords for online accounts.
A Firewall blocks port scanning and
prevents a hacker from gaining access to your computer. Firewalls are built in
to The latest version of Windows XP (Service Pack 2) but are also available
free from websites like ZoneLabs.com.
Remember to protect your computer with a Firewall!
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Password Security: A few tips for
choosing a good password.
1. Use a phrase instead of a word or
name.
Bad Password: “rover”
Better Password: “mydogisrover”
2. Include a number or character in
your password
Bad: Password: “rover”
Better Password: “mydogisrover1”
3. Never share your password with
friends
Just like a key to your house, a
password protects you!
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 For more information on keeping yourself safe: Visit Microsoft’s
back to school tips for kids:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/
More
Links:
Are
you Cyber Safe? Take the Quiz
Read
the Kids' Rules for Online Safety
Visit
McGruff's Homepage
Download
this page
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